


A Series of Top Hats

by Poker



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Henry had to have met Toppat members before, Henry is selectively mute, Just a bit of writing practice, hes a good thief soooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poker/pseuds/Poker
Summary: Infiltrating the Air Ship wasn’t Henry’s first meeting with the Toppat clan.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 227





	A Series of Top Hats

**Author's Note:**

> But of practice and an attempt to get this headcanon out of my brain. I hope ya’ll enjoy, I don’t own the Stickmin games, but I would appreciate any kudos, bookmarks, or reviews!

Of course Henry had met the Toppats before.

His first meeting, if you could call it that, was in a bar. Henry has only just started his life of crime, and had the contact equivalent of ‘new phone who dis’.

Which left him with the option of buying a watery beer and slowly sipping at it at the bar. His focus lasered in on any mention of potential heists.

“I’m telling ya, they just snatched it right up.” The man slurred. “Didn’t even get charged with anything, no one can prove they have it. I wanna join up.”

“They won’t take you.” His companion snorted. “The Toppats are pretty close knit. You’ll have to be real good to get their attention.”

“You saying I ain’t great?” The man slammed his drink down. “I’d say I’m pretty damn good!”

“Pretty damn good at getting caught.”

“I’ll even prove it to you then. That museum is getting the Iritian necklace, things worth millions. I’ll break in and get it.” The man said. His confidence was tempered by the fact he stumbled and swayed when he stood. “Three days and then you’ll see.”

“I’ll be there then.” The man said, clearly unbelieving.

That man definitely lost the bet because Henry stole the necklace not even a day later. But it was the first time Henry had ever heard of the Toppats. He looked them up. They had a good thing going, dodging the police and apparently cared more for their crew then most gangs.

But Henry worked alone so he ditched the information gathering and went right into the next heist. They could just get filed under people of interest for all he cared.

It wasn’t until the second time that he met a Toppat member. 

Henry leaned against the cool stone wall, idly counting the bricks in the ceiling. He just had to kill time till his package came in. It was a good thing he had set the delivery up before robbing the bank.

It was just so _boring_. He nearly jumped out of skin when the guards came down the hall. Their raucous laughter echoed. Something good was happening. Or at least interesting.

“Not so high and mighty now, eh? In two days, you’re getting shipped out to maximum security.” One prison guard said. “Hope you like prison orange because you’re going to be wearing it for the rest of your life.”

Henry glanced up as the group passed by and frowned. Seven guards to one prisoner. The prisoner had still kept his top hat on, but the black and red velvet looked rather battered.

His face was completely icy. Even Henry had been a little nervous getting thrown into prison but this guy looked like he was calmly walking into a park.

The guards kept laughing, not noticing how their prisoner wasn’t listening. Henry froze as for a second, he and the prisoner met eyes.

They flicked away just as quickly, clearly dismissing him.

Rage boiled up in Henry at the dismissal. He knew he wouldn’t be getting respect, not here and not from some gang member but it still irritated him.

He didn’t relax until the prisoner was far down the hallway, the laughter barely an echo. 

“Delivery for you.” Now this was the guard he wanted to see. Henry hid a smile as the package was thrown into his cell. Who cared about the Toppat prisoner, he had a jail to escape.

Henry wasn’t surprised in the least when he checked back later and found that the prisoner had broken out again with three others and the entirety of the contraband storage. Just kicked himself a little for not checking the storage personally.

The third time, he actually worked with them.

The heist had gone to hell in a handbasket. It was a fairly straightforward heist of a museum that had been reported receiving two very different but valuable collections. One collection consisted of priceless jewels and the other more secret collection of ancient artifacts. Both of them were worth millions for just a few pieces.

But there were more security, more alarms, and more guards then he had been told about. A very cleverly set trap. He grudgingly has to admit he was impressed, they even went after two different kinds of thieves.

Henry pressed himself into the wall, adjusting the strap on his shoulder. He had made it out of the jewels collection with a few small pieces. It was another two hallways before he could reach the door though.

And a lot of guards.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when gunfire and shouting came from the room next to his breathing place. Had they discovered him so quickly?

He brought his gun up when two people dashed through the door. But instead, one immediately threw themself backward to pull the door shut and break the lock.

A woman and a man, both wearing the black top hats of Toppat grunts. For a minute, everyone held their guns, waiting for the first shot.

“Bugger this.” The woman said, her accent thick. “Got caught up in this trap too, didn’t ya?”

Henry nodded warily.

“Then I propose we combine forces for now. Give us the best chance for pulling out of this with the loot.” She said. The man nodded slowly, quickly agreeing with his partner.

Henry didn’t let his surprise waved his aim. It wasn’t exactly impossible for a mid heist team up to happen but it wasn’t likely either. Betrayals were all too common though.

But they had bags of their own artifacts and Henry had far too many nicks from bullets that nearly got him. He’d have the best chance teaming up. He nodded, agreeing, before motioning up.

Options. The damaged door, Henry’s doorway, or further towards the entrance. Or the vent which had been too high to reach without help he didn’t have before now.

“One of us, then you.” The Toppat man said. “Neither of us can exactly run away then.”

They could but Henry wasn’t about to say that. Alliances were so fragile. It’s why he never had any.

This one went surprisingly smooth though, at the cost of almost all of their combined ammo and his sticky grenades. The vent had gotten them almost all of the way out, the ammo for covering fire as they went for the door, and grenades to stop pursuit.

But they were finally outside, guards long behind them.

Henry took his bag and left while the Toppats were still celebrating their win. He had a getaway vehicle stashed nearby and a bar for celebration drinks in the next state over.

It was nice though to work with someone else. But he still didn’t think it was for him.

He didn’t get the offer until the fourth time.

In an odd quirk of fate, he was in a bar again, stirring his drink idly. His last heist had gone off without a hitch and he’d made a tidy profit when the heat finally died down.

He had contacts, money, and finally some skills. All in all, he was pretty pleased with himself. Combine that with the nice buzz he had going, and he didn’t even go for his gun when the gang member slid into the opposite seat of his booth.

Henry took a long sip of his drink, staring them down. One of the younger members he’s seen, with blond hair and a blue top hat. Someone fairly high up in the hierarchy it looked like.

“You’re making a pretty good name for yourself.” The Toppat member said. “Pulled off quite a lot of your own heists.”

Henry had a pretty good feeling this was going somewhere. He just wasn’t quite sure of where it was going.

“There’s been some interest in you.” The gangster continued. “There’s a position in the Toppats if you want it.”

Henry’s eyes widened in surprise. He knew he was good but to get an invite from the Toppats? Let alone a higher member? There was a curl of satisfaction to all of this.

It was tempting. He worked well with them. They were stylish, good, and had the kind of tools even he had a hard time getting a hold of. He could think of quite a few missions where it would have been nice to have back up or just someone to celebrate. A good reputation of sharing the profits and having each other’s backs.

Instead, Henry shook his head. He had gotten this far as a lone wolf. Maybe in a year or a decade but right now, he was reveling in the thrill of solo work.

“Fine then.” The member said. “But the position will remain open if you ever reconsider. Call it a gesture of goodwill.”

Henry leaned back in his seat, watching the man go. Mm. He didn’t think he’d be accepting that position any time soon.

He really didn’t think the fifth time was going to be him getting kidnapped by the government and blackmailed into infiltrating their airship.


End file.
